Black Label Society Deliver a Sold-Out, Unforgettable Night in Toronto

The drive into Toronto couldn’t have gone smoother — just over an hour, no stress, the highway wide open like you hope for on a Sunday evening. But pulling into Exhibition Place told a different story. The Toronto Vintage Show had taken over the building next door all weekend and the parking lots were still packed when I arrived. By the time I found a spot and made my way over, the line for Black Label Society had already wrapped all the way around the building — sold out show, March chill in the air, and battle vests as far as you could see.

Dark Chapel Opens Strong

First up was Dark Chapel, the band fronted by guitarist Dario Lorina — the same Dario who plays lead for Black Label Society. Right away you could see this wasn’t going to be a throwaway opener. Their sound sits somewhere between sludgy and soulful, bluesy without being soft.

They opened with “Afterglow” and the room started paying attention quickly. When “Hit of Your Love” came around, phone lights started going up across the floor — something you don’t usually see for an act most of the room is still getting to know. They closed the set with “We Are Remade” and left the stage having done exactly what a good opener is supposed to do.

Zakk Sabbath — All Sabbath, All the Way

When Zakk Sabbath hit the stage the temperature in the room shifted immediately. Heavier, louder, no warmup needed. The set was a deep run through Ozzy-era Black Sabbath, and Zakk Wylde didn’t treat it like a tribute act going through the motions — he treated it like the real thing, because to him it clearly is.

“Children of the Grave,” “Snowblind,” and “N.I.B.” all hit hard, but the room really took over during “Paranoid.” The whole crowd sang the chorus back without being asked, and when the song ended the chants started — Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy — bouncing off the walls of a venue that was already at capacity. There was a bass spotlight mid-set — John DeServio stepping forward and holding the room on his own for a moment — before the set built back toward its close. Near the end, balloons came floating out into the crowd. “War Pigs” closed it out, and by the time it was done the place was already overheated and nowhere near finished.

Black Label Society — The Toronto Chapter

The BLS curtain was lifted — massive, almost too big for the stage — and the room held its breath waiting. When it dropped, they opened with “Funeral Bell” and didn’t let up. “Name in Blood” came second — a single off the new album Engines of Demolition, released back in January, and here it was already holding its own in a room full of longtime fans. Throughout the night Zakk addressed the crowd the way he always does — not as an audience, but as family. The Toronto chapter. It never feels like a bit when he says it, because he clearly means it.

“No More Tears” had the whole room singing, and then came “In This River.”

Zakk walked over to the baby grand positioned stage right, sat down, and played it. The faces of Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul flanked the drum kit on either side, a tribute to two brothers gone too soon, the kind of loss that still sits heavy in this community.

Then the gears shifted. Zakk strapped on a double-neck guitar for “The Blessed Hellride” and the intensity climbed right back up. Later, he and Brother Dario squared off in a guitar duel — trading leads back and forth, escalating, until both of them were playing with their guitars behind their heads.

Then Zakk leaned into the mic and yelled “Incoming!” — and beach balls came flooding out into the crowd during “Fire It Up.”

Ozzy’s Song

The BLS backdrop parted to reveal a collage of Ozzy photos that had been hidden behind it the entire night. A loud room going genuinely quiet in the way only the right moment can pull off. Zakk didn’t say much. He just played it, and for a crowd that had been chanting Ozzy’s name a full set earlier, that was more than enough. The song is a goodbye to Ozzy that doesn’t beg for sympathy, just sits with the gratitude of someone who got to be there for all of it.

Stillborn

They closed the night with “Stillborn,” a track off The Blessed Hellride and the perfect way to end a night like this. By this point the venue was completely wrung out, sweaty and spent, but not one person was heading for the door.

Final Thoughts

Three sets, two guitarists and a rhythm section pulling double duty — Dario fronting Dark Chapel before locking back in beside Zakk for the BLS headlining set, Zakk leading Zakk Sabbath with John DeServio on bass and Jeff Fabb on drums before all three stepped back into their BLS roles for the headline set. A crowd that never let up, a night that moved between tribute and celebration and straight-up heavy music without losing the thread.

The Toronto chapter showed up. The brothers on stage made sure it was worth the drive.

Special thanks to Priscilla Vento (30 Miles North) for providing press accreditation for this show.

Black Label Society

Zakk Sabbath

Dark Chapel

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Drew Osborne

I’m Drew, the founder and editor of Front of the Stage. I have a strong love for music and photography, which started at a very young age. There’s just something I love about experiencing live music and capturing memories that will last a lifetime, and that’s how Front of the Stage came to be.